Postdoc position on ARRAKIHS science in Taiwan

Applicants are invited for a postdoctoral position working with Prof. Andrew Cooper at the National Tsing Hua University Institute of Astronomy (NTHU IoA) in Hsinchu, Taiwan. The position is for 2 years initially with extension for a further 2 years conditional on performance and funding.

Our group works at the frontier of theoretical and observational approaches to galactic archaeology. We focus on computational methods to interpret galactic stellar halos, globular clusters and dwarf galaxies. We explore the cosmological significance of these objects through large Galactic and extragalactic surveys, including the DESI Milky Way Survey. We participate in the ESA space telescope mission ARRAKIHS (adopted in 2026, due for launch in 2030) which seeks statistical constraints on the structure and stellar populations of low surface brightness stellar halos and tidal streams around nearby Milky Way-like galaxies.

Candidates with experience in any aspect of galactic archaeology will be given full consideration. The successful candidate will be expected to develop their own independent scientific program, although preference will be given to candidates who are willing to join the ARRAKIHS consortium, seek connections between their research and the goals of ARRAKIHS, and contribute in any way to the scientific preparation for the mission.

Taiwan is a happy, friendly and tough little island nation. Living standards are high. Our society is modern, open, progressive, and enthusiastically democratic. Individual rights and freedoms are valued highly.

Hsinchu (a small city not far from Taipei) is arguably the world's leading centre of advanced semiconductor fabrication.

NTHU IoA is Taiwan's largest university-based astronomy group, with 11 full time faculty. The successful candidate will be encouraged to pursue opportunities for collaboration at NTHU, across the Taiwanese astronomy community, and internationally.

NTHU IoA is committed to fostering an inclusive environment that values equity and diversity and supports the professional development of early-career scientists.

IoA offers an in-house astronomy HPC facility (https://github.com/nthu-ioa/cluster/wiki/Cluster-Specification). Opportunities for teaching and student research supervision are available, but the position has no obligatory duties.